Signal



Dec; 27, 1938. G. GODCHAUX El AL 2,141,243

SIGNAL File d Oct. 22, 1957 vl2 LAMP JOCKETJ llllll lNVEN-TORS GODCHA UX LEON 8 ROBERT H., D/ETZ BY ROBERT H MELROV m w. ,o

WY ATTORNEYS- Patented Dec. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE H. McElroy,

Chicago, 111., assignors of onefourth to Richard ;.Luliman Application October 22, 1937, Serial. No. 170,324

6 Claims.

This invention relates to signals and more particularly to railway signals employing colored lights.

An object of the invention is to provide a signal which can more readily be seen, especially during adverse weather conditions.

Another object of the invention is to employ gas discharge lamps in a railway signal and still obtain the color required.

10 Another object of the invention is to construct a railway signal employing gas discharge. lamps in a simple and compact manner.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a railway signal employing gas discharge lamps with a resiliently mounted transformer having sockets for receiving the lamps. The resilient mounting is employed to protect the lamps from the vibration on the railway roadbed.

A further object is to provide a signal employing a gas discharge lampin which the lamp may be readily removed and replaced.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of our invention will be apparent from the following description of the illustrative embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a signal lamp embodying the invention with parts in elevation; and

parts in elevation any other desired manner to serve as a crossing signal or the like. It,consists of a housing 2 which is shown as being of a generally cubical shape provided with four windows which may be of clear glass.

6 shown resiliently mounted within the housing by means of springs 8. In the outwardly'extendingportion transformer base it! are shown four pairs of sockets l2 and I4 connected to the transformer secondary through the transformerbase M. 'The pairs of sockets l2, may, if desired, be arranged closer together than the pairs of sockets I for a purpose to appear later. Two pairs of gas discharge lamps i6 and I8 are shown arranged adjacent the window 4 and have their ends, mounted within the sockets l2 and I4 respectively. As shown, the lamps l6 may be red in color and the lamps 18 may be green.

As the normal light emitted .by gas discharge Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with Disposed within the housing 2 is a transformerlamps is not of the proper color, a colored tube may be used in the construction of the lamp.

The lamps l6 may be of the ordinary neon type with the use of a red colored tube. The red coloring detracts somewhat from the penetrating power of the neon light, but dies not reduce it suiliciently to be serious. The color of the tube is such as to complement the color produced by the gas so that the resultant color is a red which meets the requirements imposed by usage and by legal regulations. Y

The lamps 18 may be any one of the blue gas discharge lamps, for example, those used in display signs in which the gas within the tube is supplemented by a globule of mercury. The green color required may be obtained by having the tube containing the gas tinted to the proper shade. so that the resultant color of the light corresponds to that which it is desired to obtain. In this case green may be obtained by having an amber tinted tube.

It is to be understood that the windows, instead of the glass tube, may be tinted to produce the desired resultant color.

The tubes of the lamps l6 and I8 form downwardly extending legs at their ends. At the ends of the legs are metal caps 20 to which are attached the electrodes of the lamps. The legs or the lamps l6 may be closer together than those of lamps l8 sothat they fit only in their respective sockets.

We have found that gas discharge lamps of the type described above give a much greater spread of light than an ordinary incandescent lamp used with a lense and are clearly visible through a much wider angle. This provides a much safer signal.

While one illustrative embodiment has been shown and described, it is not our intention to limit the scope of the invention to the form shown, nor otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A railway signal comprising a housing a plurality of gas discharge lamps having down-.

wardly extending legs within said housing, a window in said housing for each of said lamps and a resiliently mounted transformer having an outwardly extending base within'said housing, said transformer having sockets in said outwardly extending base receiving said downwardly extending legs for completing the electrical connec-.- tions to and supporting said lamps.

2. A signal comprising a housing having windows in its sides, a plurality of gas discharge lamps each arranged in the housing vertically behind one of the windows and which lamps surround a central space in said housing, and a transformer yieldingly supported by said housing and arranged in said space and connected to energize said lamps and which supports said lamps.

3. A signal comprising a housing having windows in its sides, a plurality of gas discharge lamps each having its ends parallel and providedwith electrodes and each arranged in the housing vertically behind one of the windows and which lamps surround a central space in said 5. A switch signal comprising a housing generally square in cross-section having windows in its sides and adapted to be movably mounted, a

transformer mounted centrally of the housing, resilient means supporting the transformer in the housing and cushioning it against shocks due to movement of the housing, a generally square shaped base on said transformer extending laterally beyond the transformer and formed with connecting sockets, and gas discharge lamps terminating in electrodes to fit into said sockets so that the lamps are connected electrically to and solely supported by said transformer.

6. A signal comprising a housing having a window in its side, a transformer, resilient means resiliently mounting the transformer in the housing, and a gas discharge lamp electrically connected 'to and supported solely by the transformer, said resilient means cushioning the transformer and thelamp against vibrations or shocks.

LEON G. GODCHAUX. ROBERT H. MCELROY. ROBERT H. DIETZ. 

